Duke, by looking at the picture i have come up with 2.5 years old. It is possible that he was a 3.5, but his legs look a little long for his body and if this picture was talken in Illinois a typical deer from this area will appear stockier at 3.5. It is hard to see what kind of muscle tone he had because of the flash. The belly line is also a good indicator, it is a straight line belly not sagging but not small at the waist either which makes me think 2.5. The neck is another good thing to look at but i don't believe it this tim of the year because of the lack of muscle. Aging deer on the hoof is anyones best guess and takes many years of practice to get right. I am still practicing!But these are my thoughts on this deer.